Iron Man got the gadgets and the wisecracks, the Hulk got the strength and the sob story and Thor got the magic hammer and the salon-quality hair. When chisel-jawed and stupidly patriotic Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) got to the front, all that was left was the naff costume and the giant frisbee.

At last, balance has been restored. Captain America has been given the most interesting Avengers flick yet.

And it’s the fact the character is so underpowered (relatively speaking) that makes this film refreshing. For once, Marvel couldn’t rely on endless mid-air CGI punch-ups, marauding aliens and mystical world-ending doodahs.

With a human, earthbound superhero, the comic book behemoth probably felt they had to go in a new direction. It’s a surprising one too. They’ve parachuted him into a gritty, 1970s style political thriller.

It’s a gamble that pays off. Unlike the disappointing last Thor movie, this works as a stand-alone adventure while also honouring the character's heritage.

The first Captain America movie played with the character’s origins as a Second World War propaganda tool. We saw plucky, nine-stone weakling Steve Rogers being turned into a Nazi-bashing super soldier by a muscle-boosting super serum.

His weedy origins gave him sympathy for the underdog and history gave him a chance to fight in a clearly defined showdown between good and evil. But when we catch up with this embodiment of homespun American heroism, he’s only beginning to realise how far the modern world has strayed from the black and white certainties of the past.

OILY: Robert Redford is SHIELD boss Alexander Pierce [Disney/ Marvel]

The defrosted war hero learns that his boss, SHIELD agent Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson), has been co-opted into a scheme by the intelligence agency’s oily head honcho Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford).

In a secret hangar, three giant satellites are being fitted with spy technology and a dizzying array of hi-tech weaponry. Their purpose – to take out every potential terrorist before they’ve had a chance to pick up a bomb.

“This isn’t freedom, this is fear,” says Rogers, suddenly appalled with the nation he shares a name with. So after teaming up with ex-KGB agent the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), he goes on a mission to “tear down” the secret service.

It’s a smart and astonishingly radical idea that chimes with current fears over US drone strikes, secrecy and CIA surveillance. But thankfully it’s not all politics – there are plenty of thrilling action scenes too.

When Thor flew through the air to thump some space elves, you knew it was only going to end one way. But some of the laws of physics have been restored when Captain America and the Black Widow go toe-to-toe with the US military.

For once, there’s actually a faint sense of peril. We also get a feeling of the geography of the scraps too. Directors Anthony and John Russo’s reliance on great fight choreography means they don’t need to confuse us with shaky cameras or rapid cuts.

REBEL: Captain America tangles with the US military [Disney/ Marvel]

And there are more signs of this sprawling franchise’s new confidence in the film’s standout action scene. A car chase and assassination attempt on Nick Fury on the streets of Washington is thrillingly staged and entirely superhero-free.

It does, however, give us a first look at the film’s supervillain. The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) is a chemically enhanced hardnut who looks like he’s climbed off an Iron Maiden album cover.

His identity and that of his paymaster aren’t hard to guess but he’s just enough of an enigma to keep the feeling of paranoia simmering.

The Russos manage to strike just the about the right balance between suspense, action and comedy. There are few mildy amusing lines and a smattering of in-jokes, but this doesn't feel like a film that's desperate to tick boxes. Tellingly, there is no token love interest. Hayley Atwell does make a reappearance as Agent Carter, but she's now caked in old woman makeup. The Black Widow is too busy bashing skulls to make doe eyes at anyone.

Of course, this is still a Hollywood blockbuster so it’s not surprising when Rogers’ pal Sam (Anthony Mackie) sprouts wings for a 3D-friendly final showdown. But it’s the stuff on the ground that makes this movie soar. Captain America may not have been blessed with the best super-powers but his movie packs the one hell of a punch.